The miseducation of Virginia students

By
Patricia S. Gordon, Ellicott City

The fact that Virginia has chosen grossly under-researched history textbooks suggests that its entire curriculum is not only inadequate but dangerous [“Many errors spotted in Va. history texts,” front page, Dec. 29]. It means that Virginia students are being “taught” untruths in this area and perhaps in other areas also. Virginia is turning out not undereducated but miseducated young people.

I urge Virginia residents to involve themselves in scrutinizing the process of choosing educational materials and to become aware of how the millions of dollars those materials cost are spent.

The writer is a former member of the Howard County Board of Education and the Maryland Association of Boards of Education.

And Ma'am, with all due respect, what exactly is the "correct approved view of history?" The founding fathers were scumbags because some had slaves? America is genocidal because of the deaths of natives? Ameirca is totalitarian because it dared oppose Stalin, Castro, Chavez, Ortega, et.al?

So you want to establish government boards to oversee textbooks...? Wow o wow o wow...madam Beria...madam Dzerjensky...you are a trip.

wjc1va, it seems pretty simple to me. There should be a process that the text books in Virginia aren't filled with inaccuracies. Ms. Gordon is not talking about subjective views like you mentioned (founding fathers were scumbags, sounds really silly). She's talking about verifiable facts that are wrong in Virginia's text books. Again, it seems pretty simple to me.

Virginia is not alone in turning out undereducated but miseducated young people. Thousands of kids (including my grandkids I'm sorry to say) have been taught that the earth is 6000 years old, that climate change is a myth, and a variety of other untruths that contradict established and verified scientific facts. But, as they say, ignorance is bliss, and unfortunately our country's future is less-certain because of such teachings of belief as opposed to fact.

Virginia is not alone in turning out undereducated but miseducated young people. Thousands of kids (including my grandkids I'm sorry to say) have been taught that the earth is 6000 years old, that climate change is a myth, and a variety of other untruths that contradict established and verified scientific facts. But, as they say, ignorance is bliss, and unfortunately our country's future is less-certain because of such teachings of belief as opposed to fact.